THE MONTH OF BIRTHDAYS

I've been playing a lot the past several days. Dear hubby's

birthday is on the 19th, a friend of ours in AZ has a birthday on the 24th, and a friend of mine has a birthday on the 20th. On the 25th a grandsons birthday, and I have yet to start his or the friends on the 20th. Whew! I'm tired of just writing how many birthdays there are this month, and that includes mine

on the 21st of this month. I asked my husband wanted he wanted for his birthday, and it basically is the same wish as mine - a long healthy and fun life.

The automobile card was stamped with images from

http://www.heartsintouch.com/, it is a new stamp from Frances Naeve, of Toys for Men, and the ribbon used is some that I purchased

at a convention I've attended in the past. This was an easy card to make as it is all "black and white". I really liked the look of this one, and thank France for the stamp.

The next two cards were made with http://www.ibrakeforstamps.com/ stamps. The golfer on each of these cards is a new stamp from Della Warr's plate 1008.

The first golfer card I used water color paper. The technique of "huffing" was used to create the vivid colors of ink that I used. I first sprayed the water color paper with a "misting" of water, colored the stamps with my water color pens from Wal Mart, then I "huffed" on the stamps to keep the ink damp enough for me to stamp on to the paper. The background stamp is a couple of different stamps from Della of Inkblocks (now I Brake for Stamps). I'm not sure if she still carries these stamps or not, I'll have to ask her sometime. I added Vellum from Pat Dunbar of http://www.papertemptress.com/ , who I might add has luscious papers that you are "tempted" to purchase no more than half a dozen of each kind...LOL. The words "Happy Birthday" was a stamp from See-D's ( http://www.seedstamps.com/ ) The See-D's stamp is a bit of a challenge for me to use as they are quite thin, but I like the effect of them as you're using them. On the reverse side of this stamp is a "sticky" part that clings to your acrylic stamp, but it also has the word(s) printed on the stamp so you know exactly where you are stamping it, and it isn't upside down (don't ask), or whatever.

The second golfer card is from http://www.ibrakeforstamps.com/ but this time I stamped it with Memories Black Dye Ink and used clear embossing powder. I masked the area of the golfer so I could stamp the background first, then I later stamped the golfer. I'm still working on getting a better masking effort down. I then decided to color in a "golf course" for a more realistic look. I think I need more practice on this area too. Oh, well, my dh likes it and I'm only partially satisfied, so I guess I'll keep it...LOL. I then placed the completed image onto some copper card stock that I had, which was then affixed to a white card.

Now it's time for my nap so until we meet again..... Thanks for looking.

HAVE YOUR COFFEE & TIN TOO

Over on Inky Fun Stampers we have a "Mixed Media Challenge Folder" and this month we are suppose to "Alter a Tin". The tin I chose was this International Cafe Instant Sugar Free Cafe tin. After I chose this my muse left me and for the life of me I couldn't remember what I was going to do with it. Today, it finally hit me what I wanted to do with it.

First off I painted a couple of coats of all white Folk Art Acrylic Paint. I then added some ribbon that I had lying around to the

bottom of the painted tin. I then measured the top of the tin and cut a piece of purple card stock and glued it to the top of the plastic lid. It needed "more" ribbon, so I made a fairly large ribbon bow and attached it to the top. The ribbon has purple flowers on it so I happen to remember seeing butterflies around my purple iris garden, so viola' I added butterflies to the top of the ribbon on one rounded corner and another on the backside. The butterflies are from Heart in Touch's new sheet of stamps #126. I stamped the butterflies on some background papers that I had lying around.

This was a lot more fun to make, and now I've filled it with sugar free candy and will give it to the winner of our "diabetic scrabble" game tomorrow (Thursday, May 14, 2009). The Wellness and Diabetic Support Group sponsored by the Five Star Network meets once a month on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in our Senior Center. I have to be there each month as I was appointed to be head of this group. The members are great and very supportive.

Please enjoy, and have a creative week. Leave a comment if you like this or e-mail me at huffpede@yahoo.com should you have questions.

GARDENING & PLAYING

Every time we have a nice day you'll find me out amongst my flowers, then scrambling to find the time to have some playtime. Yesterday was one of those days. Today we planted a small garden, but I had to finish this card I started yesterday.

I needed some "printed paper" so away I went to my stashes. I picked up one of my folders of paper and low and behold there was a partial piece of Vellum with roses on it. Yippee!!!! This is exactly what I needed. I had already stamped and cut out a butterfly using gold embossing powder, but what to do with it? Aha!!! Put these two together and you have a beautiful card (if I may say so). I attached the vellum with vellum tape and you can't see the tape on the front side so I'm a happy stamper. To me it needed a bit more oomph (technical term), so I punched a hold in the bottom right front side. Outlined the hold with a Krylon Gold pen. Okay, now what to do? Since I have a rose stamp, why not stamp a small rose so it can show through to the front. Yep, that's just what I did plus I stamped Happy Mother's Day inside. NOTE: The rose was stamped and colored in with Roseart Washable Super Tip Markers from Wal Mart. I use the "huffing technique to stamp the image. This was a quick & simple card to make, and now to get it into the post office so it lands where it's going on or before Mother's Day...LOL. I hope you enjoy looking at this art of mine and if you care to, please leave me a note. Thanks for looking.